


Learning the Language

by LiraelClayr007



Series: My 31 Days of Ficmas [9]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Pete's World, grown TARDIS, sassy TARDIS, talking to the TARDIS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 16:17:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12963351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiraelClayr007/pseuds/LiraelClayr007
Summary: “How are we doing?” he asks lovingly, lightly brushing his hand along the edge of the console as he moves around. And then he sees a blinking light, and then another. Pink-pink-yellow. Pink-pink-yellow. He’s never seen these before, or if he has, they were in a different place then. And although the yellow is familiar enough, he’s certain the TARDIS has never had a pink light before, not anywhere. “What are you trying to tell me, girl?” he asks, tugging on his earlobe. This isn’t the TARDIS he traveled with for hundreds of years. She’s a child of that one, so to speak, an offshoot, but they’ve only been together for six months. They speak the same language, but it’s like they’re speaking different dialects. Sometimes he just doesn’t follow the thread.





	Learning the Language

The Doctor dances around the console in the TARDIS, hands occasionally darting out to flick a lever or poke at a button. He can feel the hum of the time vortex on his skin, can smell their destination approaching. It’s summer back home, hot and sticky, so Rose requested someplace cooler. He’s happy to oblige; he likes Rose in the snow. He runs his fingers through his hair, says aloud, “Well, I like Rose anywhere,” and the TARDIS chimes a laugh. “Hey now, don’t get cheeky with me,” he says, poking at another button just because.

They are headed for the Frost Fair in London; he’d been pleased to find out this universe had them too. The years were a bit off--he’d known the last Great Frost Fair to be in 1814, but here it was in 1809. They’re aiming for 1807, another year the Thames didn’t freeze in their old universe. He’s glad not everything is the same. Finding the new bits, that’s the challenge. He jigs sideways, thinking about the perfect puzzle of a whole new universe to explore.

“How are we doing?” he asks lovingly, lightly brushing his hand along the edge of the console as he moves around. And then he sees a blinking light, and then another.  _ Pink-pink-yellow. Pink-pink-yellow. _ He’s never seen these before, or if he has, they were in a different place then. And although the yellow is familiar enough, he’s certain the TARDIS has never had a pink light before, not anywhere. “What are you trying to tell me, girl?” he asks, tugging on his earlobe. This isn’t the TARDIS he traveled with for hundreds of years. She’s a child of that one, so to speak, an offshoot, but they’ve only been together for six months. They speak the same  _ language _ , but it’s like they’re speaking different  _ dialects _ . Sometimes he just doesn’t follow the thread.

_ Pink-pink-yellow. Pink-pink-yellow. _

“Alright, obviously that’s distress, but…” he gives the monitor a good look, “there’s nothing wrong with you that I can see.” They land, the engines quiet to their stationary purr. The Doctor looks at the monitor again, says, “And there’s nothing particularly dangerous outside. It’s awfully cold--blimey, it’s days like this I miss my old scarf!--but that’s nothing to blink about.”

_ Pink-pink-yellow. Pink-pink-yellow. _

He walks around the console again, tapping things at random, muttering to himself, “Pink and yellow, pink and yellow,” when suddenly he gets it. “Rose!” he shouts, running to the wardrobe room before he’s even finished the thought. Then, to the TARDIS he says, “Oh I am daft, pink and yellow! Next time shout louder!”

He’s apologizing to Rose before he gets to the door. “Rose! Rose, I’m sorry, I am so, so sorry. The TARDIS tried to tell me you needed me but I didn’t--” He pulls up short when he sees Rose in the wardrobe room. He’s not sure what he was expecting, but it wasn’t this. Rose is hanging upside down, dangling from the shelf that runs around the whole room--or the bar underneath it, he can’t tell which--all tangled up in something long and wooly, her skirts and petticoats falling down over her face. One hand is tangled up with her legs in whatever is holding them, but the other is free, braced against the floor, keeping her body from swaying.

He points, gestures vaguely, opens his mouth to speak and then closes it again, at a loss. Finally Rose says, “Do you think maybe you could get me down from here?”

He springs into action, scooping her up into his arms and untangling her from what turns out to be a fairly decent copy of that scarf he wore so many years and so many bodies ago. A few of the colors are off, but he can’t complain. Once she’s free--but still in his arms--he finally asks, “What happened, Rose?”

Her cheeks flush pink. “You can see I found a dress, but I want a hat, and I saw some promising hat boxes up on the shelf. I pulled over the stepladder but it didn’t reach quite high enough, so I sort of stepped on a few hangers. My foot slipped...I’m not exactly sure how the epic tangling happened, although I’m lucky it did. My head would have hit the ground if not for that scarf.”

He presses his hand to the metal wall beside him. “She saved you,” he says matter-of-factly. Then he rounds on Rose. “Never do that again! I can reach that high! Or ask, and she’ll move it within reach.”

“Sorry. I know that. I just forgot...in the fun of finding a new outfit.” She grins sheepishly.

He gives her one more stern look, then ruins it by kissing her nose. “Find a coat and a hat, it’s very cold. I’m taking the rescue scarf.” He wraps it around his neck with a flourish. She finds her things and he gestures her out the door with a grin and an “Allons-y!”

The Doctor pauses in the doorway, leans his forehead against the doorframe and whispers, “Thank you.”

He feels her answering vibration.

They’re beginning to understand each other rather well.

**Author's Note:**

> 31 Days of Ficmas || Day 9: Lights


End file.
